Curtain rod package



y 1965 A. E. GLEDHILL CURTAIN ROD PACKAGE Filed April 11, 1963 INVENTOR. ARTHUR E. GLEDHiLL ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,184,052 CURTAIN ROD PACKAGE Arthur E. Gledhill, Wallingford, Conn., assignor to The Stanley Works, New Britain, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Apr. 11, 1963, Ser. No. 272,355 3 Claims. (Cl. 206-47) The present invention generally relates to an improved package for curtains and curtain rods and has for a primary object the provision of an improved package wherein the packaging elements serve to mount the curtain and rods for ultimate use.

Another object of this invention is to provide a packaging unit for curtain rods which is dimensionally stable, simple and neat in appearance, easy to handle and store and economical to manufacture.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a packaging element which serves as a mounting bracket for the curtain rods and also imparts dimensional stability to the curtain rod package.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a dual purpose bracket which is elementary in design, economical to manufacture, yet durable and extremely efiicient in operation.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereafter set forth and the scope of the application which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view partially cut away of a package for curtains according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the packaging unit of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the dual purpose bracket of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawing in greater detail, FIG. 1 shows a package for curtains, according to the present invention, having the curtain 4 encircling the rods 6 in a manner suitable for insertion in a transparent, flexible covering, such as a polyethylene bag 8. Such packages permit potential customers to visually examine the merchandise and also obtain both the curtains and the hardware for hanging them in a single, sturdy, economically manufactured package.

The skeletal structure of the packaging unit is shown in FIG. 2 as consisting of a conventional telescoping curtain rod 6 comprising L-shaped body or section 10 which is adapted to telescopically receive smaller L-shaped body or section 12 and packaging and mounting brackets 14. The L-shaped bodies It) and 12 and brackets 14 are aligned in rectangular arrangement and are alternately arranged so that each complements the other in providing a dimensionally stable rectangular packaging frame construction. As he st shown in FIG. 2, similar members are located in diagonally opposite corners of the rectangular configuration. After the rods and brackets are assembled, the skeletal unit is covered by the curtain and the entire package is enclosed with a transparent covering material. The rectangular configuration renders firmness and stability to the outer covering while at the same time allowice ing examination of the goods by prospective buyers. Such a construction, though simple in design, is neat in appearance and provides a firm and regularly shaped package which is easy to handle, transport and store.

Referring now to FIG. 3, packaging and mounting bracket 14 consists of a generally L-shaped, fiat, sheet metal body having a base member 16 and a back member 18 which are joined at one end thereof to form the juncture 2d. A generally arcuately shaped support rib 22 connects base member 16 and back member 18 at the juncture 2d and is integral with both members at their juncture. The rib 22 provides rigidity as well as support to the otherwise flexible sheet metal members. The base and back members 16, 18 are tapered inwardly toward their ends at respective portions 24 and 26, the tapers extending along approximately one-fitth the length of the members. Such a taper permits easy assemblage of the skeletal packaging unit and ease in mounting the rods on the brackets at the time of installation. The base and back members 16, 18 each further contain a hole to facilitate the mounting operation. As best shown in FIG. 3, base member 16 has dimple 28 at the pinnacle of which is hole 30. Likewise, back member 18 is shown to have dimple 32 with hole 34 therein and additionally, is both longer and wider than base member 16, the edges 36 of back 18 projecting beyond the edges 38 of base member 16. The additional width of back member 18 is such that it fits snugly into L-shaped body 10 While base member 16 is dimensioned so as to fit securely into smaller telescoping body 1-2, thus providing a secure construction in the packaging unit.

As will be apparent, bracket :14 not only provides secure dimensional stability in the rectangular package, but also an excellent mounting support for the curtain rod. The two brackets contained in the package are mounted on a window frame or similar support so that back member 18 of one bracket and base member 16 of the other bracket protrude to receive, respectively, bodies 10 and 12 of curtain rod 6. The dimples and associated holes on the non-projecting member provide means for cushionably securing the bracket to the support. In order to give best results it has been found that such dimples should be located a distance from juncture 20 equal to at least one-third the length of the respective member. Additionally, bracket 14 provides a simple and inexpensive sheet metal construction of extreme durability and rigidity which is readily usable as a mounting bracket to securely hold the curtain rod in place.

As will be apparent to persons skilled in the art, various modifications and adaptations of the structure above described will become readily apparent without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A curtain rod assembly comprising two L-shaped rod sections C-shaped in cross-section, one of said sections being slightly larger in cross-section than the other and adapted for telescoping connection, and two L-shaped bracket-s having a base member and a back member joined at one end thereof and having at the juncture thereof an arcuate support rib integral with said juncture and said members, each of said members having at least one hole therein, said back member being 'wider than said base member and having its edges extending beyond the edges of said base member at the point of juncture thereof, said back members fitting snugly Within the larger of the rod sections, and the base members fitting Within the smaller of the rod sections and connecting the assembly together.

2. The combination set forth in claim -1 wherein said back and base members have :free ends which are tape-red inwardly.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2 wherein each free end is tapered along at least one-fifth of its length and each hole is located a distance from said juncture equal to at least one-third the length of the member containing the hole.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Examiner. 

1. A CURTAIN ROD ASSEMBLY COMPRISING TWO-L-SHAPED ROD SECTIONS C-SHAPED IN CROSS-SECTION, ONE OF SAID SECTIONS BEING SLIGHTLY LARGER IN CROSS-SECTION THAN THE OTHER AND ADAPTED FOR TELESCOPING CONNECTION, AND TWO L-SHAPED BRACKETS HAVING A BASE MEMBER AND A BACK MEMBER JOINED AT ONE END THEREOF AND HAVING AT THE JUNCTURE THEREOF AN ARCUATE SUPPORT RIB INTEGRAL WITH SAID JUNCTURE AND SAID MEMBERS, EACH OF SAID MEMBERS HAVING AT LEAST ONE HOLE THEREIN, SAID BACK MEMBER BEING WIDER THAN SAID BASE MEMBER AND HAVING ITS EDGES EXTENDING BEYOND THE EDGES OF SAID BASE MEMBER AT THE POINT OF JUNCTURE THEREOF, SAID BACK MEMBERS FITTING SNUGLY WITHIN THE LARGER OF THE ROD SECTIONS, AND THE BASE MEMBERS FITTING WITHIN THE SMALLER OF THE ROD SECTIONS AND CONNECTING THE ASSEMBLY TOGETHER. 